Crouching Tiger, Live Wire: Chapter Two
by Saritas
Summary: A new installment of this captivating pair. Gwen goes to Angel to see if she still has the sparks, just to find out that Connor might be the one that's not so normal.


TITLE: Crouching Tiger, Live Wire: Chapter Two

AUTHOR: Saritas

TIME: Somewhere during the time when Connor doesn't remember his past and somewhere before the time when Gwen discovers L.I.S.A.

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately Joss Whedon owns the characters I write about - and sometimes dress up as... Also, I'd like to say that when I write Connor I picture Ian Somerhalder as Connor, not Vincent Kartheiser. He just makes for a more manly and prettier Connor. :) I'm sure you'll agree.

CHALLENGE: Always open for a fanfic challenge - Put it in a review and I'll get started. :)

Gwen Raiden stared up at the mighty law offices of Wolfram and Hart. This was where Angel was holding court now? Warily she approached the front door.

She'd done business with a few suits from W&H before but had never deigned to enter any of their offices around the world. That was just... creepy. She might be a professional thief but in her opinion there would always be someone lower than her. Today, Wolfram and Hart fit the bill and, apparently Angel.

Once inside she could feel the body scans going through her and hadn't she heard they used mind readers? She was tempted to think not so friendly thoughts about the man in charge just to see what would happen.

Soon she was on her way upstairs to meet with handsome himself. A smile on her face she entered his office, "Lemme guess, Wolfram and Hart hired you to be the beauty for their new 'Beauty and the Beast' campaign. Do ya get to wear the yellow dress?"

Angel looked up surprised even though he knew it would be Gwen walking in the door. Her outfits never ceased to amaze. This time her tri-colored hair flowed out behind her which allowed her outfit to take center stage. Black leather hip huggers and a tight red long sleeved top. How very Gwen.

When she caught him looking she twirled around, "Trying to figure out where I keep my wallet?"

"It's good to see you too Gwen." Angel said dryly despite the smile on his face. He came around the side of the desk and leaned against it's edge. "What can I do for you?"

Gwen's face fell, she really didn't want to talk about what she came to talk about. So, she did her best to be superficial. Stretching her arms above her head, she made her way over to the large windows that allowed lots of light into the room. Palm up she let the rays hit and warm her hand, "You feelin' daring lately?"

Angel watched her for a second before standing and answering her, "Special glass." He stood in front of the window now and closed his eyes, "Does this make me less of a freak?"

Gwen turned sharply to look at him, but forced herself to relax, this was Angel after all. "It would have, but when you look like you're about to make out with the glass, you lose any points you might have gained."

They were silent again until Gwen burst into speech, "For some reason I'm not shocking like I use to and I was thinkin' you and your fancy digs could run some tests, figure out what's the what." She took a breath then. "Wow. People say that's easy. It's not easy."

Angel opened his eyes, "What's not easy?"

Gwen's eyebrow rose, "Asking for help, sugar. So you gonna help me?"

Angel moved over to his desk, "How do you know? Have you been able to... touch?" He paused thinking of the way his heart came alive under her hands, how alive he'd felt.

Gwen began to pace, something she did not do. "Well... Kinda." She turned to him, "But he wasn't all that dead beforehand, which I thought was kinda a pre-req to me being hands on."

"He?" Angel latched on to the one part that really didn't matter of course.

Gwen rolled her eyes, "Yes, he, and I'd say he's just as pretty as you are sweet cheeks but you can get your panties in a twist later." She pointed to herself, "I'm the one with the dead battery over here."

Angel was still stuck on the fact that some guy was as pretty as he was... "Uh, well, have you touched anyone else? This guy doesn't have to be human just because he's not a vampire."

Gwen's face contorted, "Ew.. I think I'd rather be on the fritz than have this guy be... something..." She awkwardly brought her arms up and across her chest. "I... like him... I guess." She shrugged and frowned.

"Well..." Angel paused, watching her, seeing a new side of Gwen Raiden. "Why don't we get started on those tests."

Gwen was slipping her gloves back on just as Fred walked in with a clipboard. "What's the diagnosis, cherry?"

Fred frowned, not at the woman's results but at the woman in general. She still hadn't forgotten Gunn's more than near death experience. The tone her voice took when she spoke was saturated with a southern accent, "I'm not really sure what I was suppose to be looking for, but you seem perfectly normal. For yourself."

"How so?" Gwen asked as she hopped off the elevated table.

Fred pursed her lips, "I got some inclination from the eight dialysis machines that fizzled out as soon as you got near'em." Pushing her glasses up she looked down at the chart again. "As far as I can tell, your just as... well, shocky as you always have been. I'd even say that the lightening strikes you told me about add to your overall ability."

"And here I thought it was the man upstairs telling me he didn't approve of my outfits." Gwen smiled.

Fred muttered, "Well I could be wrong..."

"Don't sweat it cherry. Thanks for all this." Gwen gestured to the room in general. But her mind was already on Connor. If there was nothing different with her... didn't that mean something was different with Connor? She had to figure this out because it gave her hope.

Hope.

She wasn't sure she was allowed to have any of that, so after exhausting all possible reasons why she could touch this guy, then she'd try to figure out how it fit into her future... Because if she could touch people?

"I have to get outta here." Gwen announced and headed for the door.

Fred lifted a hand in a weak wave, "You're welcome!"

Connor was working in the school library when he started hearing whispers around him. Frowning he looked up to find the mysterious Gwen walking towards him.

Upturned lips and a laid back attitude greeted her when she stood at the foot of his table. "You know, when I said don't be a stranger I never actually expected to see you again." He paused, forcing his eyes to remain on hers, "This is quite a surprise."

Gwen, feeling more than moody this evening, placed her hands on hips, "What the hell are you?"

Connor sat up in his chair and looked around to see all eyes on them. He stood, gathered his books and put a hand to her elbow, "Let's get outta here."

"I asked you a question Romeo."

"Which I will attempt to answer as soon as we get out of here okay?" He started pulling her towards the door.

Worried about even the littlest touch, Gwen pulled away from him, "Fine, just stop touchin' me."

Connor nodded to the librarians and gave a small smile even as he spoke to Gwen, "Can't say you felt the same way last night..."

Gwen pushed open the doors of the library and spoke through clenched teeth, "Yeah well, that's before I found out you were more than just a thief." When they were far enough away from most people, she asked him again, "What the hell are you?"

Connor paused, looking back at her, "Aren't I suppose to be asking you that?"

"Look, usually when I touch or get touched, the other party gets turned to toast." Gwen moved into her most common stance, hands on hips, "So that makes me wonder why you aren't toast. Got any light to shed, sugar?"

Of course even as her mind was waiting on answers she so desperately wanted, another part of her wanted to run her hands down his chest, touch his hair, find out just how less soft his skin was from hers. Hadn't she read that once? A man's skin was softer than a woman's...

Had she been paying attention the first time she had touched another human being, she would know. But since she was too busy sucking face with Angel before, she was determined to get the basics down now.

"I don't..." He trailed off when he noticed the little inconsistencies. Her eyes were accusatory but her mouth... That blessedly beautiful mouth was currently being licked by her tongue. Her tongue which if he recalled correctly had been in his own mouth just last night.

His bag dropped to the ground as she flung herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Gwens eyes raked Connor's face, "We can worry about the particulars later right?"

"Uh-huh." Connor nodded just before her mouth came crashing down on his. And just like the night before she truly was a jolt to his system. He could feel her electric energy coursing through him, the hair on his arms and legs standing on end. His subconscious knew he couldn't sustain this level of electro shock forever, but he knew he could take it longer than most.

And that was the strange part. Not only could he withstand the electricity but somehow he knew he could. That, however, was his last coherent thought. What a woman...

Gwen decided to come up for air when she felt her boy toy start to breath deeply. Almost sadly she touched his face, "You can take me... But not indefinitely..."

Connor felt like his veins were on fire but he smiled anyway, "I'd be willing to test that theory."

Gwen slid down him, noting that she'd done her part to get him excited, "Honey it's probably better I'm not that easy." She winked and picked up his bag for him, "Where would the fun be in that?"

He nodded and took the bag from her with a smile, "I can be very creative when I want to be."

"Actually, I gotta friend I want you to meet." Gwen started walking backwards towards a sedate black sedan, something completely out of character for her.

Connor frowned but started to follow, "Well this looks very foreboding..."

Gwen was mid laugh when they heard the first scream. She rolled her eyes, turning in it's direction, and noted that the scream was decidedly female. "Can't anybody take care of themselves these days? Or at least die quietly... Any chance you could forget what you just heard?" She asked as she turned back to Connor.

Only he wasn't there.

Gwen threw her hands up in the air, "Reminds me of someone else I know..." Yet even as she spoke she was chasing after him.


End file.
